The world lost a hero this week whose sacrifice should be an inspiration to everyone fighting extremism and terrorism. Col. Arnaud Beltrame put his gun down and traded himself as a hostage to allow a female witness to walk free from Islamic terrorist Redouane Lakdim, 26. Lakdim then proceeded to shoot him and Beltrame later died from his wounds. He gave his life for a perfect stranger in an attack that ultimately took four lives.
What is striking is the level of hate controlling people like Lakdim who was unmoved by a man putting his own life at risk for a stranger. For most human beings, such an act would reignite whatever dormant humanity remained within them. For Lakdim he was just another person to kill to attain glory with the Islamic State and ultimately rewards in paradise.